Saturday, July 13, 1968
UNDERWAY FOR PEARL HARBOR. CONDITION III SET. WARM, SUNNY. 0800 — ARRIVE PEARL HARBOR TO. LOAD STORES, REFUEL, AND. RECEIVE MAIL. 5- LETTERS 1- PACKAGE (BOOKS) 1- MOVIE FILM. 1230 — LIBERTY CALL. BASE EXCHANGE. E.M. CLUB. 1900 — UNDERWAY FOR SAN DIEGO.
Original Logbook Page
Meanwhile in Da Nang — Bill's letter, 13 July 1968: While Mike was at Pearl Harbor 5 days from home, Bill had 226 days left: "You should be back in the states by the time you get this letter you lucky fucker." Bill reacted to Mike's tape about the SAR rescues: "You said in your tape that the chopper got their ass's kicked when they went in land. Boy I bet those chopper guys were really shitting their skivvies when the V.C. started giving them hell." Two red alerts the previous week — rockets hit the air strip and Marble Mountain, 5 miles away. A jeep driver fell asleep at 4 AM and rolled 50 feet down an embankment. "Its been fairly quiet around here the past few nites, but we are expecting to be hit soon." Signed off with dark humor: "I keep you informed if anything big comes up. You know like pulling all the U.S. Troops out or something like that. ha ha!" [Bill's letter to Mike]
Video
Letters
Bill Ducy to MikeBill to Mike
13 July 68
Da Nang
Mike,
I got your tape yesterday and really enjoyed it.
I'm glad to hear you think that this tape recorder will be a good buy. I didn't really want an one for A.C. power only because of the power change over here. And I can always get a hold of batteries for it.
I also got those slides you took, they were really good. You said in your tape that the chopper got their ass's kicked when they went in land. Boy I bet those chopper guys were really shitting their skivvies when the V.C. started giving them hell.
You should be back in the states by the time you get this letter you lucky fucker. Now I've got only 226 more days left over here. And have been here for 167 days.
I asked for 30 more days of mess duty, this mess duty is really skating and the time goes by fast.
We've had 2 "red alerts" last week but nothing has come of them. Rockets were spotted taking off but they weren't coming our way. They hit the air strip and Marble Mt. about 5 miles away.
This morning at 4 AM while we were going to pick up the gooks that work in our mess hall the jeep driver fell asleep and ran off the road down a 50 ft. embankment. The 2 guys in the jeep wasn't hurt, but sure had the shit scared out of them.
Its been fairly quiet around here the past few nites, but we are expecting to be hit soon.
I'll be getting a tape made and sent off to you soon.
Well thats about all from over here in Nam, I keep you informed if anything big comes up. You know like pulling all the U.S. Troops out or something like that. ha ha!
Bye for now and take care.
Little Brother
Bill USMC.